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  • AADD Moderators: swilow | Vagabond696

Seratonin vs 5HTP

M

mazdamad

Bluelighter
Joined
May 27, 2002
Messages
12
Hey guys, just a quick question!
A friend was telling me the other day that she buys seratonin from the local chemist in a bottle and takes this before and after 'rolling'. She says it reduces the severity of the comedown, I'm assuming this is because it replenishes the serotonin that is depleted by XTC. This sounds like a very good thing to me! (gotta hate those comedowns)
Is this similar to 5HTP which if I recall correctly has similar effects and can also reduce the neurotoxicity of MDxx??
Thanks ppls :)
[ 25 June 2002: Message edited by: mazdamad ]
 
I doubt she's buying actual bottled seratonin - although I could be wrong. But it doesn't sound like anything I've ever heard of...
Try and get a look at the bottle and find out exactly what it is she buys, and update us with the info when you know... :)
 
I've had the same bottle thrust in my face one sunday morning, but alas I didn't pay much attention to it. The side of the bottle says liquid serotonin but I'd guess its just something along the lines of 5htp, something helping replenish your serotonin not actually serotonin. I haven't seen it arround for a while but I'll make an effort to find it again.
[ 26 June 2002: Message edited by: Fry-d- ]
 
5-HTP is a precursor to 5-HT (serotonin), and it's contained in some foods and nutritional supplements. 5-HTP is not usually available for sale in Australia, which is why we order it online from various sites.
There is a serotonin containing supplement called Serotab. From the Serotab FAQ:
Q: What over-the-counter dietary supplements work by raising serotonin levels?
A: St. John's Wort raises serotonin levels by inhibiting the natural body enzyme that metabolizes serotonin. 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) is a serotonin precursor that gets converted inside the body to serotonin. Recently, there has been a number of reports of adverse reactions to St. John's Wort including sun sensitivity and interaction with other medications.
Q: What is Serotab®?
A: Serotab® is the first and only safe, effective and natural serotonin containing dietary supplement. Serotab® combines enterically coated serotonin with antioxidants and other naturally occurring vitamins. One of the powerful antioxidants present in Serotab® is green tea extract which has also been shown to have thermogenic (fat burning) effects.
Serotab® is the first and only Dietary Supplement containing Serotonin. Studies performed by physicians have demonstrated that Serotab® provides appetite suppression, mood enhancement, increased energy levels, improved sleep patterns and reduction of headaches.
I don't know if it's any good, or if you can buy it anywhere though - even the Serotab website doesn't have an online purchase section, only a phone number to call and order.
They also have a 'Quality of Life' calculator (*lol*) that recommends you should buy some serotab because you are a depressed fucker. Heh heh. Try it! It's hilarious.
BigTrancer :)
Click to expand...
 
Quality of Life
You are demonstrating signs and symptoms consistent with a severe serotonin imbalance. You should definitely consider a treatment strategy to boost your serotonin levels.
Please check with your physician or health care provider.
qol4.jpg
qol3.jpg
qol2.jpg
qol1.jpg

[ 26 June 2002: Message edited by: deeCee1 ]
 
Sure it may work, but just because you eat serotonin, doesn't necessarily mean you will produce more serotonin in your brain. eg eating food which contains cholesterol has not been proven to increase your cholesterol level, you need to eat the "precursors" to cholesterol for your body to produce it. It is possible that this is similar to consuming serotonin as opposed to it's precursor 5htp. Just a thought!
 
From my limited understanding of biochem, doesn't 5-HT need to be 5-HTP to actually pass all the way into the brain? That is, the seratonin supplement will increase the amount of seratonin in the blood, but not in the brain, where it's needed. This is all just speculation based on a small knowledge of biology, so please correct any misconceptions I may hold.
This I'm not really sure about, but some clarification would be great for all of us. We'll know if we can jump onto seratab or stick to the old faithful 5-HTP.
Cheers.
[ 26 June 2002: Message edited by: Fetish Jester ]
 
Yes, you're definitely correct Fetish Jester. Serotonin cannot cross the blood-brain barrier so there is no point taking it to increase the serotonin in your brain!
 
just agreeing with the last two posts; that serotab thing sounds like bollocks and would be harmful even as too much serotonin in the blood is not good.
They prescribe L-DOPA to parkinsons patients, not dopamine as dopamine cannot get in the brain. Serotonin shouldnt be any different and hence 5-HTP (serotonin's L-DOPA equivalent) is the way to go!
 
From my limited understanding of biochem, doesn't 5-HT need to be 5-HTP to actually pass all the way into the brain? That is, the seratonin supplement will increase the amount of seratonin in the blood, but not in the brain, where it's needed.
This is exactly right, serotonin does not cross the BBB (blood-brain barrier) so taking it orally would be useless...5-htp is a much better option.
Click to expand...
 
WOO!
Score one for me! ;)
*Removes tounge from cheek*
It's a pity though. If this stuff worked, it'd save the hassle of importing 5-HTP into Australia. Maybe if we inject it directly into the brain? Hmmm... Maybe not.
BTW are there any benefits of having blood high in seratonin? That is, not high enough to be a health hazard.
 
ok I was talking to the helpful lady at the local health store yesterday about seratonin. She confirmed that you probably can't buy bottled seratonin because it needs to be produced in the bloodstream, and she also mentioned 5HTP which you couldn't buy in australia unless your doctor imported it. Apparently there is a natural substitute for 5HTP that is also a precurser for seratonin that is called SAMe (
S-adenosylmethionine)
She gave me a brochure for a product called 'LifeEZE plus' which contains SAMe disulfate tosylate, along with B6, B12, Folic acid and choline.
I wonder if this SAMe stuff is a useful substitute for 5HTP in our context? opinions anyone?
 
Just order 5htp over the internet. As long as you don't buy too much at one time it's perfectly legal.
Apparently there is a natural substitute for 5HTP that is also a precurser for seratonin that is called SAMe (S-adenosylmethionine)
What does "natural" substitute mean? 5htp is natural, and it is the only precursor to serotonin, so nothing else will have the same effect (except for maybe tryptophan?). SAMe might benefit you in some other way, but it won't do the same thing as 5htp.
[ 29 June 2002: Message edited by: *chaoscat* ]
Click to expand...
 
Mazdamad: either that health store lady doesnt know what she is talking about, which is bad, or she is just trying to make a sale by giving you misinformation, which is worse.
SAMe is not related to serotonin at all and it will not replenish your stores after MDMA; tryptophan (which you cannot buy) or the best of the lot, 5-HTP, is the ONLY way to go!
 
hmmm ok now i'm well confused.... maybe i'll just get some SAM-e anyway and try it before I go out and order some 5HTP.
thanks for all your comments guys :)
 
mazdamad, if you're going to be taking any chem to reduce the impact of "fucking awful tuesday" or the such, just get 5-HTP. 5-HTP converts directly into seratonin (5-HT), Sam-E doesn't.
The effects of Sam-E from what I've read has shown that it's not really what you'd want to take after a big night when you can just take 5-HTP.
There are a heap of positive testamonials for 5-HTP on this site and practically nil for Sam-E. The masses have spoken. Conform!
 
Fetish Jester : yeh I'll order some ASAP, I doubt it will get here by next weekend though :(
why do I always leave things to the last minute!?
 
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